Abstract:

Magnetic beads (MBs) have been widely used for the extraction of nucleic acid from biological samples prior to the detection of SARS-CoV-2. In this study, yeast RNA was used as a model substrate to develop an extraction method utilizing nanosized Fe₃O₄MBs. A new comprehensive chemistry experiment was conducted including the preparation and characterization of Fe₃O₄, development of an RNA extraction method using MBs, an investigation of the extraction mechanism, and its application in real samples. The experiment is expected to not only improve the students ability to solve practical problems using basic chemical knowledge and experimental methods, but also draw their attention to public concerns and strengthen their sense of social responsibility.

Key words: Nucleic acid extraction, Fe₃O₄, Yeast RNA, FT-IR, UV spectrophotometry